


On What We Need

by ricketyjukeboxer



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Family, Family Dinners, Family Feels, Fluff, Football, Gen, Holidays, M/M, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 00:58:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12806124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ricketyjukeboxer/pseuds/ricketyjukeboxer
Summary: Jody Mills invites the boys to Thanksgiving dinner. Family fluff and fuzzy feelings ensue.





	On What We Need

It can be said that there is no arguing with a stern mom voice. 

"It's not an invitation, Winchester, it's a summons." Jody does not expect to be disobeyed: not by Sam, not by Dean, and not by any degree of angel (half or full, of God or of Satan himself). 

"Jody, we have Jack," Sam says.

"So bring him!" 

"He's..." 

"The Son of Satan? Yeah, well, with some of the boyfriends Alex brings home for dinner, I think we're equipped to handle it. He'll be fine." 

So it goes that Team Free Will 2.0 piles into the Impala and finds themselves making the drive to Jody's house for Thanksgiving weekend, by Jody's design, because she knows the boys need it. 

"Claire is your daughter..." Jack ventures, leaning forward to address Cas who is riding in the front seat. Sam sleeps soundly in the back and Jack keeps his voice low so as not to disturb him. 

"Not exactly," Cas hems. "My vessel was her father and--" 

"Claire's family," Dean interrupts and seems to think that should be enough by way of explanation, but Jack is not quite satisfied. 

"And Thanksgiving is about family and being thankful for them?" Since Dean got himself into this conversation, Jack is happy to grill him as well. Dean knew he should have kept his mouth shut. Cas turns to him, the slightest curl of a smirk ghosting the edges of his mouth, waiting to see how Dean will handle this. 

"And turkey and pie," Dean shrugs. 

"Very philosophical." Cas leans his head back on the seat. 

"Also the theft of native land and disrespect of hospitality," Jack adds, leaning his elbow on the front seat thoughtfully.

"Someone's been on the internet. Gotta complicate everything. Thanksgiving is about family, all right? And food. Maybe the history of it is pretty bloody, but what part of human history isn't?" As soon as he says it, Dean wishes he hadn't. Jack looks at him in the rearview mirror with the kind of look that says those words are going to fester in Jack's active mind. "Don't think too much about it," he adds and Jack settles back into the seat to do exactly that. 

Cas can feel it emanating into the front seat, that turmoil and confusion over the human race in general, the violence along with the ache for connection. He wishes he could explain it better to him, but he realizes he still doesn't quite understand it himself. 

\-----

"It's going to be a bit of a tight squeeze, but from what I've heard, you don't need a bed, Castiel?" Jody stands with her hands on her hips before a couch made up with sheets and soft blankets. "Jack? What about you? Half-angels sleep?" She does not hesitate to ask the practical questions and Jack immediately appreciates it. He looks at her with some degree of awe that Sam recognizes as respect and fascination. 

"I don't sleep much, but the couch looks very nice, thank you." 

Jody gives Jack's politeness an approving nod before gesturing him to follow her. "Can I put you to work? Alex took off on me and Claire is vindictive in the kitchen. I could use an extra pair of hands to get ready for tomorrow."

"I have hands," Jack says before realizing it sounds stupid and he shoots a look at Claire because already he can tell that if anyone will judge him here, it's her. 

Claire is standing silently, shoulder to shoulder with Cas and hardly notices the flub. She's said nothing about his death and resurrection, but Dean can see the same tension in her body that he'd felt upon seeing him again, like she doesn't quite want to let him out of her sight. He reckons that losing him makes her realize just how much he means (a feeling that Dean understands all too well). 

"Lots to do before tomorrow," Jody interjects and presses a hand to Jack's back to usher him into the kitchen. 

"I'll make the pie," Dean offers.

"I'll put together a salad," from Sam. 

"That's my boys, " Jody hums and they all beam. 

Claire and Cas are left alone in the living room by Jody's design because she knows they both need it. 

\-----

The rest of the night is spent in bustling preparation for tomorrow's big dinner, interspersed with delivered pizza, Alex's arrival home, and one small food processing explosion when Dean doesn't secure the lid. 

It finds him in the bathroom sponging pumpkin puree out of his hair. When Cas appears behind him in the mirror, Dean smiles instead of jumps. 

"Jody told me to bring you a clean shirt," he offers by way of explanation. 

They've long since had their reunion moment, their kiss, their confessions. Now it is a matter of relearning what it means to be alone. They still hesitate, stutter start, but they find their way eventually. Dean likes it. He likes the way Cas' hands--an angel of the lord--shake a little just before they make a connection with his skin. And Cas likes the way Dean still tries to look cool even when he can feel the tremble in his lips before they crush together. 

Dean's ass is hitched up on the sink and Cas can taste the molecules in the pumpkin, still clinging to Dean's chin as he drags his mouth down his jaw. 

"They're gonna eat all the Hawaiian pizza before I can get any," Dean grouses.

"But you're getting some right now..." Cas murmurs and Dean can't complain anymore because it's all hands and Cas and the feeling of falling completely. 

They get their moment alone, by Jody's design, because she knows they need it. 

\-----

The light's on in the kitchen and when Jody pads around the corner, she isn't surprised to see Sam leaning against the counter, sipping a glass of water. 

"Sorry," he says. "Did I wake you up? I was trying to be quiet. Jack is actually sleeping for once." 

Jody holds up a hand and shakes her head, stopping his apologies in their tracks. Quietly, she flips on the stove and sets the kettle on it. "Hot chocolate?" 

Looking relieved, Sam nods and goes to the fridge to get the milk out. They move together silently for awhile, barely having to speak to get the job done. Soon, they both have large mugs of warm liquid cradled in their hands. 

"Thanks for doing this, for inviting us. Jack needs examples of family. You know, reasons humanity is good." 

Jody gives him a look, peering over the edge of her mug. She calls bullshit. "One," she starts. "You boys are fine enough examples of why humanity is good. Two, I did this for all of you. I'm going to do it more often too. I don't care if you are fighting an apocalypse at the time. More family dinners. Because you are, you know, my family."

It's so simple, so safe, to be told what to do by Jody. A whuff of laughter escapes Sam's nose, grateful, fond. In that moment, he misses his mom so badly he has to swallow hard. He misses everything they could have had, midnight talks, feeling safe, gratitude. 

Setting her cup down, Jody gathers Sam up in a hug. "You'll find her," because she knows, just by looking at him, what's troubling him. He presses his nose down to her shoulder, curling around her and yet still feeling enveloped by her. They stay that way for a long time because she knows Sam needs it. 

\-----

Musical education. Alex and Claire argue over the playlist while Jack looks on with eager anticipation. 

"I can only imagine what the hell ancient crap you've been listening to with Dean in charge. Or worse, Sam's glam rock," Claire says that last part loud enough for the adults in the living room to hear. 

"It's legitimate hard rock!" Sam calls from his spot on the couch, but everyone ignores him. 

Donna arrived that morning and now she's sitting next to Dean on the couch, both leaned forward with a beer in their respective hands hanging down between their knees. Both are glued to the screen. Cas is pouting. 

"It's the Vikings, Castiel. I'm real sorry you're missing the parade but if you've seen one giant turkey float, you've seen 'em all," Donna offers. Sure, it's the first time she's met a real live angel, but this is her team, after all. 

Cas is about to argue, but Stefon Diggs makes an incredible catch and Dean and Donna go wild, high fiving with a united, loud: Heyooo! Cas decides that this is much more entertaining and watches the two of them instead. 

By Jody's design, they all have the space to be themselves, to be together, because she knows they all need it. 

\-----

Hours later when everyone gathers at the table, Jody is almost too tired to eat anything herself. Almost. As Dean dishes her up a plate, he gives her a smile, like he knows what it means to take care of other people and have that be what you need at the time. 

"Thank you," he mouths at her silently. She digs into the food that they all helped make and looks out over the gathering. She is well and truly happy. She did this for herself too, because she knows she needs it.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit my [tumblr](http://ricketyjukeboxer.tumblr.com)! I'm always looking for SPN family.


End file.
